14 Jan 2023
I was a bit slow getting ready this morning as I didn't really get time to just relax the night before. I read my magazine as I waited for my millet porridge to boil, and sorted out some leftover housekeeping from last night. I took my hiking poles and left my tent collapsed with all my gear at the Neck Reserve Campground, and went on my unloaded way to Adventure Bay.
I stopped at a lot of places along the way, saving the chocolate factory for the
way back. Coal point had a beautiful view, and I watched the waves for a while before heading off. There were also many spectacular views along this way.
I stopped at the Adventure Bay general store for a ham and cheese toastie as I realised I had really taken my sweet time getting there. I thought I wouldn't take very long so I hadn't taken lunch with me! I then went to the close-by Raspberry farm and had the raspberry crepe. The berries were amazing and very flavourful and fresh. I would've gotten a box of berries to take with me as well if I'd had a fridge available. HIGHLY recommend going to the berry farm.
On my way to the fluted cape walk I saw a small museum so of course I stopped. It was 'Explorers of Tasmania' themed, meaning Europeans who mapped and colonised the land, harming Indigenous Australians in the process. I found the maps very interesting though, seeing the progression of accuracy of the map of Australia from the 1600s to today. I also found out that the Truganini lookout at the Neck of the island was named after the last full-blooded Indigenous Tasmanian. Any still existing descendants of the original Tasmanians have mixed heritages.
The owner of the museum even offered to let me fill my water bladder from his water tank. I was planning to refill from the Adventure Bay general store on my way back as that's the spot to do it on the island, but since it would save me trouble, I used his water tank.
I moved on down to the end of the road to the fluted cape walk and the cruise departure point. I have heard great things about the Bruny Island cruise, but I didn't do it myself because it wasn't in my budget. I set up my hiking poles and went off to do the shorter hike, the Grassy Point walk, and I noticed it was already 2pm! I would need to leave by at least 3 to make it back to the chocolate factory before it closed at 4. So I walked for just about half an hour, but was quite pleased with the views I saw so it didn't really matter that I didn't manage to do the whole walk.
Cycling back north, I felt like I could see a lot more of the ocean views from the road than when I was cycling south. Really nice riding, apart from regularly being passed by caravans and utes on a road with no shoulder. I got some caramels at the chocolate factory and took a little rest. They were great, and I imagine the rest of their chocolates are just as good. A bit on the expensive side, but not obscene.
I returned to the Neck Campground just after 4pm. There is beach access from the day use car park, so I went to wander into the cooling ocean and then sit on the beach for a while. It is a very picturesque beach, and you can see Adventure Bay and Fluted cape from it. I washed off the sand with the tank water from the campsite. When using it for drinking and food though, I filtered it as there is no information on cleaning of the tank or the water quality.
After dinner and a light nap, I joined a fellow camper going to Truganini lookout to see the penguins coming in after dusk. This happens on the boardwalk below the big staircase. Ranger Tom began a presentation about the shearwaters and penguins as the sun started to set, so we got a lot of free information about the birds while we waited for the penguins. As there was little light left in the sky, hoards of shearwaters flew above and around us, putting on a quite impressive display. Suddenly, the ranger started moving his red torch over a spot in the bushes, and we could vaguely see a penguin. You need to use red torches on a low setting (you can also get red cellophane at the general store for a regular torch) so as to not disturb the birds. Honestly, we only saw this one penguin in the first half hour, and it was standing pretty still. I was disappointed. From what I've heard, you can see much more of the penguins on the cruise. But I did thoroughly enjoy the presentation and watching the shearwaters. After the half hour, we left and I got some beauty sleep for the next day. Or perhaps some muscle sleep? I did have quite a bit of trouble falling asleep tonight as my legs were covered in mozzie bites and I was très itchy. I'll need to be sure to be diligent with my Bushman's from now on! I haven't really been doing that because I don't usually get lots of insect bites on these trips.
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